Even More Japanese KitKat Flavors

The sheer number of flavors seems to be never-ending. Just when I think I’ve figured out most of the flavors, I find something new and interesting to try. My quest to catalogue as many flavors as I can may have been a foolhardy one, but I must press on. I present to you the next batch of Japanese KitKat flavors!

Beni Imo (Purple Sweet Potato)

This one has an odd, lingering flavor to it before you actually taste the sweet potato. I can’t really describe it; it’s this odd savory/sweet combination. Not the most sweet potato-like thing I’ve tasted but it does have an interesting flavor. Purchased at Ikebukuro’s KitKat Chocolatory in January.

Wasabi

Now we’re getting weird! If you’ve every really tasted wasabi through the burn, you’ll know it has this very particular taste. Imagine that particular taste, without any spice, and add sweetness. It’s not really bad but it’s not particularly good, either. It is one of the strangest flavors for a candy I’ve tasted. Worth a taste for the novelty but it really doesn’t have much going for it. Purchased at Ikebukuro’s KitKat Chocolatory in January.

Amazake

This is a fermented rice drink with low alcohol ratings that is a winter favorite in Japan. The drink itself has a sweet, somewhat pungent flavor to it; you can’t avoid the fermented flavor in it. The KitKat definitely mimics that flavor pretty darn accurately! If you don’t like the drink, you’ll hate these. It’s interesting to try, all the same! Purchased in Saitama prefecture in January.

Shinshu Apple

Certain prefectures are known for certain crops, like Saitama and sweet potatoes, and Nagano is known for apples. Thus, we see the Shinshu Apple appear in KitKat form! It has this wonderful scent and a delicious chocolate-covered apple flavor. I would eat these any day of the week! Purchased in Nagano Station in Nagano City.

Tokyo Banana

A favorite omiyage {link} from Tokyo, it became a KitKat flavor last year. It has a very strong banana flavor that mixes perfectly with the milk chocolate. It’s pretty rare to see flavors with anything other than white chocolate, so this was a nice change of pace. A big thumbs up to this one! Purchased at Narita Airport in February.

Hokkaido Melon

This KitKat is actually Hokkaido Melon (cantaloupe) and marscapone cheese. It has a wonderful melon flavor with just a hint of the cheese pulling through, giving it a bit of creaminess to the flavor. It’s almost like a melon version of an orange creamsicle, if you have ever been lucky enough to have one of those. Purchased at Narita Airport (Domestic Terminal) in February.

Banana

This is different from Tokyo Banana in that it’s flavored after a snack cake and it uses white chocolate. The issue with most banana candy is that it has the flavor of the Gros Michel banana, the top banana until the 1950s when a gnarly disease essentially wiped it off the planet. Now, we have the tasty Cavendish banana, which tastes different from the Gros Michel. I am pleased to share that these banana KitKats taste exactly like our modern Cavendish and they are possibly the most delightful fruit-flavored KitKat I’ve had to date! Purchased in March at my local grocery store in Saitama.